WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | USC students debate existence of God on Darwin's birthday

USC students debate existence of God on Darwin's birthday

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Thursday marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birthday.

So at the University of South Carolina, a secular student organization sponsored a debate about evolution and the existence of God. Obviously a controversial debate, but both sides respectfully showed how their faith matters.

Packing the Russell House ballroom past capacity, Atheists, Agnostics, Christians, Jews and people of many other views. All curious to hear a debate about the existence of God.

Kyle Williams, who identified himself as a Methodist, said, "I've never seen a formal debate like this. Usually when I see a debate with an Atheist and a Christian, they get frustrated, they start yelling at each other."

Josh Streetman, a self-identified agnostic, said, "I think it's important that Christians and Atheists or Secularists discuss these things openly."

The event was organized by USC's Secular Student Alliance, which wanted to raise awareness about the different beliefs in our world.

Andrew Cederdahl with the alliance said, "I'm an atheist, all that means is that I do not believe in a god, that's all that means."

"I believe that being good for the sake of being good is good enough. I was born right the first time," Cederdahl said.

Debating against the existence of God was author Dan Barker. Debating for the existence of God was journalist Kyle Butt.

"If there is no God, then there is no ultimate foundation for ethics," Butt said.

"A threat of violence, which is what Hell is; it's a threat of eternal torture, any system of thought that has that thought in it, that scares the minds of children, who go to bed at night wondering if they're gonna go to Hell, it is a morally bankrupt system," Barker said.

Following the debate, some beliefs remained the same.

"No it hasn't changed my perspective," Streetman said.

But many were inspired.

"I like it because it leaves it open to our own thought, and it's not exactly a right or wrong," Williams said.

One thing many agreed on: they hoped this is only the beginning of the conversation.

Reported by Jordan Sandler

Posted by Jeremy Turnage